Happy Canada Day :)

Tomorrow is a BIG day! BIG BIG day! Yes, the new catalogue becomes live which means we can order from it! But, even more importantly it our great nation's birthday. And to celebrate, I designed a Simply Adorned Charm insert just for this occasion. Actually, I can't tell a fib - I already had this insert designed as I used the same maple leaves on my sister's wedding invitations. But it was perfect for this very holiday.

This is what I just love about the Simply Adorned Charms. You can change out the inserts to match any occasion. It doesn't get much easier or creative than that! I can't wait wear my custom necklace tomorrow!

I hope all my Canadian readers have a fantastic Canada Day and all my US readers have a great 4th of July! Keep letting stamps bring out your creativity.






Love this project? Shop Stampin' Up! with me 24/7! (Canada only)

How did I make my Charm insert?

Stamp Set: Autumn Harvest
Card stock: Very Vanilla
Ink: VersaMark, Soft Suede, Ruby Red and Soft Suede Stampin' Write Markers
Other Accessories: Stampin' Sponges, Heat Tool, Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder

The End of School is Here!

Well, actually it's been 'here' in our house for about 2 weeks because my daughter's preschool ends 2 weeks earlier than regular schools. But, now it's here for everyone! She's been at this preschool, Merrily We Go, for two years and they were really fantastic! So to say goodbye (as she's going to JK next year) I wanted to make them something personal. Since then I've heard that teacher's appreciate gift cards and don't want 'knick knacks'. I suppose they get a lot of knick knacks... but it kind of bothers me that we've become a society that would prefer a thoughtless gift like a gift card (because who's kidding who, anyone can go and buy a gift card on their way to, well, whatever) but this gift took me some time and effort to make. And it was most certainly made with love! I do think that the two teachers at this preschool would appreciate that. I hope so, anyways.

I made the teachers bookmarks using our Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware. Though this is a pretty easy project it does take some time because of the thicker layer of Crystal Effects on each side. This is to protect the image inside. I also decided to finally break open that package of Shimmery White card stock I've had for a few months (but wasn't using because it's too 'special' :p). I embossed with clear embossing powder so you can *just* see the shimmer through the flowers. Then I sponged overtop with my new fave colour combo, Rich Razzleberry and Baja Breeze. I added some retired felt flowers, some Chocolate Chip Taffeta Ribbon and Styled Vanilla Ribbon Slides. And voila, bookmarks! Do you see the shimmer in the close-up? I love this shimmery card stock!

Since I was making multiple bookmarks I just embossed and sponged a whole strip of cardstock. I made them two-sided so for each book mark I punched out two Designer Label inserts and adhered them together with a few Stampin' Dimensionals. After I made them I had enough card stock to make an insert for my Simply Adorned Charm! Love those charms :)

What would a handmade gift be without a handmade card? Since we're heading into the summer, I thought the Tropical Party stamp set was a perfect choice. I have done similar cards (idea is from Julie Buhler) but I went all out on this one with the sponging. My first attempt was actually pretty good :) I did the blue sponging with Bashful Blue and Tempting Turquoise. The green is just a thin layer of Old Olive. The sand is done with River Rock, Soft Suede and Early Espresso. Love it and hope the teacher's did too! The flowers and palm trees are cut out by hand so if you don't like cutting this card may not be for you ;)

So welcome summer and thank you to the wonderful teachers that so enriched my daughter's life the past two years!

Keep letting stamps bring out your creativity!






Love this project? Shop Stampin' Up! with me 24/7! (Canada only)

How did I make my projects?

Bookmarks: Tropical Party Stamp Set, Shimmery White Card Stock, Versa Mark ink, Baja Breeze Ink, Rich Razzleberry Ink, Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware, Stampin' Dimensionals, Designer Label Punch, Chocolate Chip Taffeta Ribbon.

Beach Card: Tropical Party and Teeny Tiny Wishes Stamp Sets, Tempting Turquoise, Rose Red, Pumpkin Pie and Whisper White Card Stock, Island Floral Designer Series Paper, Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red, Tempting Turquoise, Bashful Blue, River Rock, Soft Suede and Early Espresso Ink, Scallop Trim Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, and 1-3/8" Circle Punch, 1/4" Tempting Turquoise Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals.

Another Sneak Peak through a Sketch Challenge

I love sketch challenges. Only because I love doing lots of different layouts and I like trying new ones out with my cards. That's probably one of my favorite parts of paper crafting. I've been following the Pals Paper Arts for a few months now. I always want to participate in their challenges but usually by the time my kids allow me to complete the challenge it's already the next week. :p This week, by some miracle (and simultaneous naps!) I was able to complete the challenge!

The Pals Paper Arts challenges aren't always sketch challenges. Sometimes they are colour challenges, other times they are inspiration from a photo challenges. But as it happens, this week's challenge *was* a sketch challenge (see sketch on the left). Since we're nearing the new cattie debut I thought I'd throw in another Sneak Peak! I used the gorgeous new Greenhouse Gala Designer Paper and the Artistic Etchings stamp set. I also got my Marina Mist 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon today and just *had* to break it out for this card. I thought the #4 element was a perfect spot for the ribbon. You'll notice I rotated the sketch to suit my Eiffel Tower image.


I am LOVING the Marina Mist colour as well as Daffodil Delight - what a gorgeous colour. To all those mourning the loss of Summer Sun, I promise, you'll get over it when you see this yummy new yellow!

Hope this sketch gets your creative juices flowing and this card gets you even more excited about the new cattie (as though that's even possible!). Remember to keep letting stamps bring out your creativity!






Love these projects? Shop Stampin' Up! with me 24/7! (Canada Only)

Hostess Appreciation Part 2 & Another Sneak Peak

For my Hostess Appreciation Party last week I wanted to give all my hostesses something special. Getting inspiration from our Stampin' Girls Convention I made all of them one of a kind customized notepads. They were demo'd by a sideline, Jenn Nusbaum, and when I saw them I just knew I'd have to do them for my hostesses. I'll have a tutorial on that coming soon! But better yet, I used our new Level 1 Hostess Set Because I Care (from the 2010/2011 IB&C) to make 6 similar but different cards. I'll be honest, when I first saw this set I wasn't sure. Actually, who am I kidding. I did not like it. At all. But then I saw some samples. And then I CASEd one of my sideline's cards and I made the card in this post. And I fell in love ;)


To make my cards I just pulled out 6 different pre-cut cards I had used in stamp-a-stacks earlier in the year. I didn't want to have to colour the big bloom on all the cards in because, well, I was making 14 cards! So I decided to spot colour them, a technique where you colour just selected parts of the image. And you know what? It turned out so well! Add a little glitter into the middle of the bud and voila - gorgeous cards that are all the same, but just a little different! I'm definitely going to do this again and challenge you to do so as well! Make 2, 4, 6, or more similar but different cards! It's a great way to get those creative juices flowing AND make a bunch of cards ;) And if you leave them without a greeting, you can customize them as occasions come along!


Did you know that to earn this stamp set all you have to do is host a workshop with sales of only $200? It's a Level 1 Hostess Set! You could also simply act as your own hostess, place an order online of $200 or more and earn it! What an easy way to earn a gorgeous stamp set FREE! I'm booking August and September so contact me today to book your stampin' party.


Finally, a party isn't a party without some awesome food! We had champagne to start the evening off. Then we had some Chocolate Peanut Butter Mounds, Deluxe Brownie Tarts, Chocolate Covered Gummi Bears (yuuuummmm!) and some fresh fruit. But the best treat I had for my hostesses were gourmet cupcakes made by a local mompreneur, My Little Cupcakes. All I can say is yum yum yum yum yum! Even though I shouldn't indulge in them (my little guy has a severe milk allergy and I'm nursing him so that means no dairy for me - boooo!) I just couldn't resist! All cupcakes I've had from My Little Cupcakes are delish, but the chocolate icing is just to die for! Don't tell me this picture doesn't make you want to reach through the screen and grab a cupcake (or maybe all of them?) LOL!


I hope that this post has inspired you to try to make several but different cards and keep letting stamps bring out your creativity!






Love these projects? Click here to shop Stampin' Up! with me 24/7! (Canada only)

Hostess Appreciation Part 1 & Sneak Peak

Last night I held my (hopefully) annual Hostess Appreciation Night. Without hostesses I wouldn't have a business and this was my little way of saying 'thank you' to them. The evening started off with some champagne, followed by two WOW 3D make-and-takes, fantastic door prizes and finally we had some yummy treats! We used all new DSP's, a brand new stamp set, a new punch and new 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon. I love that ribbon! Today I'll show you the projects my hostesses made. I'm still trying to figure out how I've lived without Early Espresso all this time so that's what my hostesses stamped with! They were also my first customers to get a sneak peak at the new cattie!

The first project we made was an altered coaster picture frame. We used the brand new Newsprint DSP and Artistic Etchings stamp set. We also used the new adhesive rhinestones - LOVED those rhinestones when they were in the Eggcellent Easter Kits and I'm so glad they are going to be a permanent fixture in the new cattie :) The frame is held together with the Early Espresso 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon. This ribbon is so yummy - I think it's my new favourite!


That gorgeous medallion is part of the Artistic Etchings Stamp Set and it's perfectly punched out with the 1-3/4" circle punch. So how did I get such a big scallop to mat it? With the new 2-3/8" Scallop Circle Punch!!!


How cool is this Newsprint DSP? Yes, the map and sheet music is part of that awesome DSP! I can't wait to use it on cards and scrapbook pages!

The second project we made was this super cute Milk Carton with DSP carnation. I got my inspiration from a fellow sideline - Janet Sanii. We used the Greenhouse Gala DSP. This DSP has a mod retro feel to it and I LOVE it. Love the colours, the patters, everything! The carnation was made with 6 2-3/8" scallop circles. I'll be back with a tutorial another day - hopefully I won't forget :p They're super easy to make but involve crumpling up DSP which none of my hostesses wanted to do! They said the paper was much too pretty to crinkle up. I can't say I disagree... but the final product is worth it.

Finally, I made all the hostesses cards with the 2010/2011 Level 1 Hostess Set Because I Care as well as a little gift but I'll be back with that in the next post or this one would just get too long! You may be wondering how you could take part of this soiree next year. It's simple - book a stampin' party with me and you've got an automatic invite!

Hope you've enjoyed these sneak peaks and I'll be back with more sneak peaks soon! Keep letting stamps bring out your creativity,